“No, I absolutely can’t let this damn bastard take Xiao Qi away.”
With that thought flashing through her mind, Li Caifeng quickly assessed the positions of the cult members and the flame demons around them.
Once she had a clear grasp of the situation, she glanced at the cult member watching her and her daughter nearby and steeled her resolve.
A second later, she leaned in and whispered to Yan Qi, still in her arms.
“Xiao Qi, in a moment, act as uncooperative as you can. I’ll use that as an excuse to push you forward. Once we’re outside the crowd, I’ll create a distraction. You find the right moment to run and hide somewhere safe, understand?”
“What? Mom, you can’t—no, you mustn’t do this!”
The moment she heard her mother’s words, Yan Qi’s pupils shrank in alarm. She knew exactly what her mother was planning. Fighting to keep her voice low, she desperately tried to dissuade her.
“Xiao Qi, for you, I’d do anything.”
With those words, Li Caifeng released her tight embrace, pulled Yan Qi to her feet, and began forcefully pushing her forward—right in front of the cult members.
Though Yan Qi resisted, her petite frame was no match for her mother’s strength. She could do nothing as she was shoved forward.
“Mom, how can you sacrifice yourself for me? No—even if it means exposing my ability to transform, I won’t let you do this!”
Unwilling to let her mother throw her life away, Yan Qi stopped caring about keeping her secret. In the next instant, the outline of the Daoyan Empress Transformation Card began forming in her mind.
But before the image could fully materialize, the scheming cult member suddenly spoke up, interrupting Yan Qi’s transformation.
“Bro, the sinners outside responded. They agreed to exchange the Bishop for the hostages we captured—and they’ve already brought him here.”
“What? They replied now? Tch, guess you got lucky, you little brat.”
Hearing the news, the hot-tempered cult member scowled in displeasure, knowing he wouldn’t get to “purify” the sinners after all. After shooting Yan Qi a glare, he turned and walked away.
Watching the aggressive cult member leave and recalling the other’s words, Li Caifeng finally exhaled in relief—they were safe, at least for now.
Immediately, she pulled Yan Qi back into the crowd, hiding once more.
Pressed tightly against her mother again, Yan Qi—a petite 14-year-old barely 1.4 meters tall—realized she might soon have a chance to escape.
“Mom, wait for me. Once I’m out, I’ll find a safe place, complete my transformation, and come back to save you. I’ll make these damned cultists pay.”
Clutching her mother’s gentle hands, Yan Qi swore this silently to herself.
“Pastor, the sinners outside demand that we release the children, elderly, and women from the waiting room first before they’ll let the Bishop show himself for verification. Only after we confirm his identity will they allow us to take him—and only then will they let the other hostages go. How should we respond?”
The scheming cult member waited for the Pastor’s answer.
After a brief moment of contemplation, the Pastor—who had been meditating with his eyes closed—spoke.
“We’ll release the children. But not the elderly or women. Once we confirm the Bishop’s identity, we’ll only release the remaining hostages after we’ve taken him away.”
“And if the sinners refuse?”
“Then purify every last one of the elderly and women.”
“Understood, Pastor.”
With the Pastor’s orders clear, the scheming cultist relayed their terms to the authorities.
After some tense back-and-forth, the officials—lacking leverage—had no choice but to accept the cult’s demands.
Before long, the hot-tempered cult member’s voice rang through the waiting room.
“All children, step forward now. You’re free to leave. Be grateful for the mercy of the Flame Demon Lord.”
The moment the announcement ended, parents sighed in relief. Soon, over a hundred children—including Yan Qi—were separated from the crowd and led to the area originally meant for “purification.”
After verifying via live footage that no other children remained hidden, the authorities gave the signal.
The group of children was then escorted out of the station, stepping onto the plaza littered with charred corpses before being taken away by officials.
“Mom, wait for me.”
Yan Qi glanced back at the train station one last time, repeating the vow in her heart.
Then, under the guidance of the officials, she quickly left the scene.
“Officer Yan, your daughter is safe now.”
Hanging up the phone, Shen An’an turned to the man beside her—dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, fake explosives strapped to his body, a restraint collar around his neck, and his hands cuffed. With his fierce expression, he looked every bit the dangerous criminal he was impersonating.
Hearing that his daughter had escaped unharmed, Yan Zhenyi—currently posing as the Flame Demon Cult’s Bishop, Kahn—allowed himself a faint smile.
But the thought of his wife still trapped inside quickly replaced his relief with worry.
“Miss Shen… are you sure this rescue plan will work?”
“Don’t worry, Officer Yan. As long as you follow our instructions and get close to the Pastor, the plan will succeed.”
Shen An’an’s voice was brimming with confidence.
Though Yan Zhenyi didn’t understand why his proximity to the cult leader was so crucial, he remembered how Shen An’an had effortlessly altered his face to match the prisoner’s photo earlier.
Knowing the National Security Bureau’s Special Response Team was anything but ordinary, he pushed his doubts aside.
“If you say so, then I trust you.”
“Shen-jie, we’re ready to move.”
A young man in black seemed to materialize out of nowhere, reporting to Shen An’an.
“Understood. Then it’s all up to you now, Officer Yan.”
Hearing her subordinate’s update, Shen An’an gave Yan Zhenyi a firm nod.
“Don’t worry. Leave it to me.”